Astrobiology and its Place in Astronomy Education Presented at the Chesapeake Section of the American Association of Physics Teachers held at George Mason.

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Presentation on theme: "Astrobiology and its Place in Astronomy Education Presented at the Chesapeake Section of the American Association of Physics Teachers held at George Mason."— Presentation transcript:

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Astrobiology and its Place in Astronomy Education Presented at the Chesapeake Section of the American Association of Physics Teachers held at George Mason University 19-20 April 2002 by Harold Geller, Michael Summers, John Evans, George Taylor, and John Wallin George Mason University Photograph Courtesy of Keith Cowing

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What Im Going to Talk About zWhat is astrobiology? zThe quest for a textbook zThe quest for laboratory exercises zThe syllabus for a one-semester class zClass reaction zWhat the future may bring zConclusions and recommendations

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In search of a textbook zTextbook yOrigins of Life on the Earth and in the Cosmos by Geoffrey Zubay xa difficult read for non-science majors zDifficult choice ymany good popular books yone astrobiology textbook (Goldsmith/Owen 2001) became available during semester yone publisher releasing text in September 2002 ytalked to another publisher about combining chapters from different texts incorporated into a customized textbook

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In search of laboratory exercises zUse of astronomy computer experiments yCLEA labs zUse of PASCO equipment for interfacing measurements with computer yhow to detect life by measuring pressure yhow pH measurements can be used zUse of on line simulations yspace station zUse of on line data and images yexamination of surface of Mars

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A Proposal for a Full Year zHere are the 14 units for the astrobiology curriculum we propose for a full-year: yThe Physics of the Universe yThe Chemistry of the Universe yThe Chemistry of the Solar System yThe Geology and Chemistry of the Earth yClays, Minerals and other Origins of Life on Earth

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Continuing with Proposed Full-Year Curriculum yOrigins of Cellular Biology on Earth yOrigins of Complex Life on Earth yThe Search for Life in the Solar System yThe Search for Planets in the Universe yThe Search for Habitable Planets yThe Search for Intelligent Life in the Universe yThe Expansion of Life from Earth yThe Engineering of Planets and Life yThe Fate of Life and the Universe

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Class Reaction Spring 2001 zTextbook was too difficult zStudents felt that it was a rigorous course zStudents liked to have access to materials on web (e.g. syllabus, lecture notes, etc.) zInterdisciplinary nature of course was not a problem zLabs needed more planning to be better

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What the future may bring zNASA Astrobiology division funding high school curriculum development yTERC zPut in for NSF funds to develop curriculum for undergraduate college course yrejected zBioastronomy conference in Australia, Summer 2002 zMars Odyssey 2001 (public interest)